John Boyega shared Star Wars casting secret with first person he saw
John Boyega told his cab driver he'd been cast in 'Star Wars' before anyone else because none of his loved ones were around.
John Boyega told his cab driver he'd been cast in 'Star Wars' before anyone else.
The 33-year-old actor was so overcome with excitement at being cast as Finn in 2015's 'Star Wars: Episode VII – The Force Awakens' that he couldn't resist breaking the "rules" about keeping his job a secret, but there was no one else available to speak to at the time.
Speaking in documentary 'Number One on the Call Sheet: Black Leading Men in Hollywood', he said: "'The Force Awakens' to me was a fundamental moment.
"We waited months for that. When that big call came in, that's that call that all those stars talk about that changed their life and stuff. It's like, 'That's it? That's the call!' It's such an attack on reality.'
Of having "snitched" on his casting, he added: "You're not gonna know who I tell!
"I got in a taxi and told the driver. That was the first person I told. My mom's not here, my dad's not here, we're sharing in this moment, bro. 'Bro, I just got Star Wars!' He was like, 'Oh, yeah, congratulations mate. Great, that'll be 45 pounds, please.'
"It was that kinda moment. But I had to share. I know the rules were like, 'Don't share.' But come on, man, you just offered me the opportunity of a lifetime!"
John hit out at 'Star Wars' fans who struggled to accept diversity in casting.
He said: "Lemme tell ya, 'Star Wars' always had the vibe of being in the most whitest, elite space.
"It's a franchise that's so white that a Black person existing in [it] was something.
"You can always tell it's something when some Star Wars fans try to say, 'Well, we had Lando Calrissian and had Samuel L. Jackson!'
"It's like telling me how many cookie chips are in the cookie dough. It's like, they just scattered that in there, bro!"
And John criticised certain movie goers who can't accept Black actors taking leading roles.
He added: "They're okay with us playing the best friend, but once we touch their heroes, once we lead, once we trailblaze, it's like, 'Oh my God, it's just a bit too much! They're pandering!'"
John previously hit out at the franchise for reducing the importance of his character in the final trilogy.
He told Britain's GQ in 2020: "What I would say to Disney is do not bring out a Black character, market them to be much more important in the franchise than they are and then have them pushed to the side. It's not good."
Arguing "all the nuance" went to Daisy Ridley and Adam Driver, he added: "You knew what to do with these other people, but when it came to Kelly Marie Tran, when it came to John Boyega, you know f*** all."
